Multimillion-dollar grant will extend STEM programs to U.S. military families, low-income students of color and underrepresented communities
STEM NOLA has received a $2.79 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to expand its educational workshops and access across the Gulf South, serving military-connected families.
The grant was one of 12, totaling nearly $31 million, awarded by the Department of Defense for the National Defense Education Program Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) awards.
STEM NOLA was founded by New Orleans native, and former tenured Tulane University Engineering professor, Dr. Calvin Mackie. Its purpose is to expose, inspire and engage members of the community in learning about opportunities in STEM.
These awardees, which include K-12 and higher education organizations, non-profits, and industry, will provide innnovative opportunities to implement STEM education and outreach, while providing awareness of the Department’s STEM career opportunities.
Activities will support the DoD STEM strategic plan and align with the 2018 Federal STEM strategic plan. Several of these efforts will include collaboration with the Department’s laboratories and military installations across the country.
The grant will be awarded over a three-year period.
The goal of the Defense Department program effort is to establish programs to better position the current and next-generation STEM workforce, which is critical to the Department and national security.
“The Department of Defense is proud to support the STEM workforce our nation needs to maintain our technological superiority far into the future,” said Michael Kratsios, Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. “We are particularly pleased with the range of initiatives pursued by this year’s awardees, with programs for early childhood education, post-secondary study, and outreach to student veterans. This investment will be critical to expanding STEM opportunities to students, educators, and veterans in underserved, underrepresented, and military-connected communities.”
